... Major winter storm to impact the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic states into the weekend... The upper-level trough responsible for the ongoing storm over the western U.S. will generate a new surface low over the western High Plains by Friday morning. This system is expected to produce a vast area of heavy snow, heavy rain with pockets of freezing rain to the south-central states and much of the East Coast. Some thunderstorms will also be possible across the Gulf Coast region. Currently there are a variety of threats including heavy snow, blowing snow, freezing rain, flooding and flash flooding, flash freezes, and extreme low windchills. As the storm progresses further to the northeast, the back end of the system is progged to become drier, shutting off precipitation. However, some back-end bands could be redeveloping over central PA and this, combined with rapidly decreasing temperatures, can lead to dangerous driving conditions, with the ice hidden by a layer of fresh snow...

A total lunar eclipse will be visible across the entirety of North America and South America on the night of January 20-21, 2019. An alternative name to this particular eclipse is the "Super Blood Wolf Moon" because it takes place during a supermoon, it could be a blood moon, and the moon during the period of January is colloquially called a wolf moon. It will be the last total lunar eclipse until May 2021, so be sure to "cash in" while it is visible. It appears that cloud conditions will be optimal across the Mid-Atlantic and Southern Northeast as the storm system departs. Intense cold will be present, so bundle up.

Across the far south, surface temperatures look to remain warm enough for just rain until sometime Saturday afternoon, when a change to snow will occur as colder air moves in. In the central part of the area, temperatures will be cold enough for freezing rain at times Friday night into Saturday, before changing to snow Saturday afternoon. Given this, the north could see 4 to 7 inches of snow, with central areas seeing 2-5 inches of snow with over 0.10 inch of ice.

A weak and broad area of low pressure will approach the East coast tonight along with some troughing aloft and shortwave energy. The energy in the southern branch of the jet stream is quite strung out and not all that impressive. The model consensus is for precipitation to start during the late evening, give or take a couple of hours from west to east. Not an impressive system with some of the BUFKIT profiles showing some gaps in the moisture, with the mid level forcing weak to say the least. Due to weak omega, in general snowfall amounts will not exceed two inches.

Blizzard warnings remain in effect for the highest elevations of the northern portions of the Sierras where snowfall amounts in excess of three feet expected. Winter Storm Warnings and Winter Weather Advisories are also in effect for the surrounding areas, as well as, Washington, the Great Basin, the Intermountain West and the Central/Southern Rockies. Coastal areas will have an increased risk for heavy rainfall and flash flooding-- especially along the stretch of coast from northern California to northwest Oregon and a small area in southern California.

By Saturday evening, showers and thunderstorms should become more numerous across the Deep South as a warm front lifts northward from the Gulf of Mexico. Lighter snow amounts for the Mid-Atlantic and little snow for NC Saturday night and Sunday. However, with a strong surface wedge in place significant icing event for east from the crest of the southern Appalachians into the adjacent Piedmont is possible.

... Winter storm winding down through the Mid-Atlantic states as of Sunday night. The majority of the precipitation shield is across Maryland, the coastal regions of Virginia, as well as Delaware. Moderate to heavy snowfall rates are still possible as the storm captures some Atlantic moisture to work with, while at the same time moving further out to sea. The winter weather discussion from WPC has additional details on this system.

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The more significant facet to this storm system will be the winter weather impacts. On Friday, heavy snow is expected to occur along the Colorado Rockies and northern New Mexico. From Friday night into Saturday, widespread snow is forecast to effect areas from the central plains to the western portions of the Ohio Valley. The heaviest snowfall accumulations with this event are currently anticipated across northern Missouri and central Illinois